Specificity of the Anamnestic Response to a Double Hapten Conjugate in Guinea Pigs Primed with a Single Hapten

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Abstract
Summary: Genetic responder guinea pigs primed with either benzylpenicilloyl-poly-l-lysine (BPO13-PLL287) or dinitrophenyl-polylysine (DNP13-PLL287) and boosted with the double hapten conjugate BPO13-DNP14-PLL287 gave an anamnestic response to the priming hapten and a primary response to the new hapten. Primary and anamnestic responses were clearly differentiated on the basis of antibody titers, time of attainment of maximal titers, and mercaptoethanol sensitivity of the antibodies. Both haptens were shown to be present on the double conjugate molecule. The absence of a booster response to the new hapten did not appear to be due to antigenic competition. These findings indicate for the present system, that the specificity of the anamnestic response relates only to individual antigenic determinants of a complex antigen, and not to the entire antigen molecule. These results would tend to exclude an enhanced processing of the antigen molecule as the crucial mechanism of the anamnestic response. The relationship between these results and the apparently discordant results of others is discussed.

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